Dark Continent

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Dark Continent

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The Dark Continent (暗黒大陸, Ankoku Tairiku) is a slice of Alma Torran connected to the new world Solomon created. There are two sides to it - a vast land that resembles Africa with it flora and fauna, housing small villages of humans and Torran people. The other side is much more larger, possibly even rivaling large empires such as Reim's or even combined with other countries.

It is believed continent from where the Fanalis originated making it is the homeland of Morgiana and Masrur. It contains provinces of the Reim Empire, such as Cathargo (カタルゴ Katarugo) - the reputed home of Fanalis - and Maurenia (マウレニアヒヒ Maurenia).

One can go there using ships from Balbadd and Reim (some members of the Fanalis Corps swim instead, all the way to Cathargo[1]). The side of the Dark Continent where the Origin Dragon and Fanalis from Alma Torran live can only be reached by passing through the Great Rift (大峡谷 Dai kyōkoku, Japanese for "big canyon").

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Great Rift

The Great Rift got its name not just because it's vast, but because sunlight doesn't reach into the Rift, even though logically it should be possible. The Rift is so wide that one side is not visible from the other, which allowed rumours to spread of Fanalis still alive on the other side.

The Great Rift is the home of Yunan, who built a small house there since every time her reincarnated it was in the Great Rift.

The 'Other' Side

The Dark Continent's vast structure compared to the new world of Solomon

The other side is separated by the Great Rift, which was created because according to the last Origin Dragon, the laws that Uraltugo Noi Nuephinstituted do not exist on the other side as it is purposely supposed to retain the original form of Alma Torran. It was done so because the Origin Dragon herself and the Red Lions had a life force so strong that Ugo could not assimilate them into the new world so he brought over their ecosystems in order for them to continue living as normal.

No human (except for Judar and Alibaba later on) has ever been to Southern ends of this section of the Dark Continent. There, the sky black along with the rukh. Yunan himself, despite being a Magi, has not fully explored the continent because he said that it was too 'vast'. The Origin Dragon stated too, that it would take 40 years to scale the whole continent by foot, which means that it is possibly larger than the combination of a few countries in the new world that Solomon created.

Since the other side of the Great Rift does not incorporate the laws that Ugo placed, concepts that Solomon created such as Magi do not exist. This was shown by Judar, who was unable to control the rukh around him as a Magi himself but only within himself like a regular magician. This also meant that the original forms of Fanalis and the Origin Dragon are able to present themselves unlike in Solomon's new world, where everybody retains human traits.

Fanalis

Pure Blood

Half Blood

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Trivia

Cathargo is based on the real-life region of Carthage. Carthage's Japanese name, カルタゴ Karutago, is the same as the Dark Continent's, but with the two middle kana switched. In addition to this, there are four further supports to the connection with Carthage. First is that Cathargo is located south of Reim (just like Carthage is located south of Rome). Second is the phrase "Dark Continent" and its description as it can be seen as a reference to Africa and its savannas or deserts (the Sahara specifically). Third, the original inhabitant on real-life region of Carthage (and all of North Africa at the time) were Berbers. Berbers were considered barbarians by Greeks and Romans (in fact, the words Berber and Barbarian are related) and this is likely the inspiration for the "wild" nature that the Fanalis people are known for. Fourth, Berbers were often forcibly taken away to be sold as slaves or made into soldiers by other Medditeranian people (just like what happened to many of the Fanalis). Carthage was also conquered and destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Punic Wars, after the defeat of Hannibal.

According to Ugo, when he created the new world for the survivors of Alma Torran to seek refuge, he was unable to move the Red Lions and the Dragon of Origin directly. This was due to the fact that they were the two species of Alma Torran who were resistant to magic (in a manner similar to but stronger than that of the original humans magicians who would become the Torran Tribe). Consequentially, Ugo moved their home continent from Alma Torran to the southernmost tip of world and created the Dark Continent. This is the reason why the Fanalis retained their original form in their homeland. Another side effect was that the inhabitants of the continent retained their memories of Alma Torran.[2]